The day after
by rosu-chan
Summary: Marco is devastated by the death of his father and his brother. The first night after the burial he needs some time alone to think and remember. I wrote that yesterday... I'm a little bit depressed these days and writing helps so here you go! I hope you like it! :D No pairings! Just friendship.


"Marco!" Haruta ran to him. "You are our captain now! Were to?" Marco put his hand on Haruta's head and smiled a little. "Far away. Let's disappear for a little. To organize and lick our wounds yoi."

'_Our not healing wounds'_

Haruta nodded. "Away from red line then. Clear orders captain!" He dashed away.

'_Captain.'_ Marco thought. _'Me. Captain.'_ He clenched his fist and looked up at the sky. _'Oyaji… Ace… Thatch… Help me. I don't know if I'm strong enough to take this position.'_

Tears brimmed in his eyes blurring his vision and for a second he thought he saw the three of them smiling at him between the clouds. He shook his head. "I'll be in my room yoi." He murmured to a passing crew member and locked himself in his room. He sat on his bed and buried his face in his hands. Happy memories passed over his mind.

When Thatch died, Oyaji and Ace helped him keep it up. He knew he had their backs and they made him smile. The loss was bearable. But now, no Ace, no Oyaji, no Thatch. Three left. Three and many others. That battle tore him apart like he was made of thin paper and he wished to burn away and die. But he was a Phoenix. He couldn't.

He stood up and snatched a bottle of strong whiskey from his cabinet and threw the cap away. It landed somewhere clattering on the wooden planks of the floor. He sat back on his bed, his back on its headboard, and took a big gulp from the burning liquid. He felt it go down his throat and spread into his stomach. A hiss left his lips but soon he had recovered. He took a second gulp. "Oyaji yoi." He whispered closing his eyes.

"Thatch. Oyaji and Ace paid an early visit to you yoi. Keep them safe until I come too ok?" He smiled. "Especially Ace. He is a reckless kid. Pain and danger is unknown to him. Fear. What is fear for him? An alien feeling yoi." He sniffed.

"Blackbeard… He brought so much pain on us. First he killed you, then he gave Ace to be killed and then he killed Oyaji… Just…" He frowned and licked his lips. "I will hunt him down yoi." He paused, thinking over his words but found no wrong in them. Only right. So he nodded agreeing with himself and drunk more whiskey. "I'll hunt him down till he reaches hell. And if Luffy wants to help," He smiled again at the memory of that loud mouthed equally reckless and fearless boy. ",he is more than welcome to yoi." He sighed.

"I want to see where that kid will go. What he'll reach. He is strong Ace. With the willpower of steel and love for his nakama, he is destined to go far yoi." A chuckle left him. "You'll probably hate me for that Ace but, he is so much like you and Roger yoi. Like a real brother. Like his son. When we learnt he is Dragon's son I didn't believe it at first. He is so much like you, inside out, it's scary!" He grinned. "And at the same time, you are completely opposite. How the hell can that happen yoi?"

By now the bottle of whiskey was gone and he had moved on Vodka. Halfway down. He was a little bit tipsy but he kept drinking. Drinking and talking.

"Ace. When Oyaji brought you here, I was completely opposed to his decision. You were stinking like trouble yet he saw something in you. You were so dangerous and… I don't know yoi. Unfriendly. I had to always watch over you yoi. I lost my sleep you bastard. And then, one day, you broke and you became one of the most loyal. First you torture us and then you turn into an extra friendly, squishy, fluffy, smiling guy like we were never your enemies yoi."

He let his head hung, little droplets falling on him, darkening little spots on his clothes. He felt like he was suffocating so he threw his shirt away and wiped his face. His chest hurt. And it was a pain his powers couldn't heal. Boundaries were everywhere. Even in his powers. He emptied the vodka grabbing a second bottle. He took a deep breath and drank half of it in one go. Finally. His vision was doubling. He threw his head back sighing. He hated this pain. But he couldn't avoid it. Not anymore. He suppressed his feelings from Thatch's departure but know the hit was double and everything washed over him like a tsunami of feelings. Bad ones. He stood up as best as he could and went to his cabinet. He opened it and found a few photos then returned to his previous position.

His eyes scanned the papers, more memories coming back. In the first it was Thatch and Ace laughing together. Ace had just gotten his tattoo on his back and he was in slight pain so they had all tried to make him forget about the itching, Thatch being the successful one.

These two had clicked together after Ace joined. It was like they knew each other since ever.

Then the boy had trusted Izo. He took out his soft side on the okama, their discussions orbing around love and emotions, romantic things and such. One day Izo called him in his room and when he got in he choked on the sight. Ace in a kimono like dress with his hair fixed, pinned up as best as they could. Needless to say the boy was trying to rip the garment off from his body but he was failing. Marco had doubled in two then, laughing loudly at his heart's content and the raven had stared at him shocked.

_"What is it squirt? Why the shocked expression yoi?" _

_"I'm not a squirt! And it's weird when you laugh! Pineapple!" _

After that Ace opened up to the blond too. Slowly but gradually. He realized what Oyaji had seen in him. Passion. Depth. Braveness. Will to fight. Loyalty to his crew members.

The way the kid talked about his brother seemed like Luffy was already the pirate king. He was so proud. A silly older brother.

Marco put the photo on the back and looked at the next one. Oyaji drinking sake, his eyes smiling at the camera.

He remembered his sleepless nights that went by because Oyaji kept him company. They talked and talked for hours, drinking sake and explaining the stars. Navigation needed stars and they shared their knowledge with each other. And when the sun came up, they would fall silent, feeling happy that they are alive for one more day.

_"One more sunrise Marco. We are still alive. Hope is not dead." _

And Marco would stay silent, giving both time to think about it and thank their luck.

"Oyaji. Who is going to keep me company now that you left? Who!?" He hit his fist on the mattress. "Damn you Blackbeard!" He covered his face with his hand to calm down and sighed. "What am I supposed to do now yoi?" He gulped down the last drop of his vodka. He laid down and got comfortable then went to the next photo.

Thatch. Holding Izo by the waist and smiling at his annoyed face like crazy. He loved teasing the okama more than he loved women. Izo was like his psychologist. The person who kept him calm. The cook enjoyed the okama's company even when he didn't have time because of cooking. But Izo would sit in the kitchen, ignoring the heat and talked to him while he cooked. If anyone else disturbed him, he bitched and screamed at them to get out, but Izo was different. He was like his soul mate. The crew teased them telling them that they were in love but Marco knew. It was a simple deep friendship. Nothing sexual.

The cook was a brother to Marco too. He was the only one that made his bored expression change. They partied together and danced and drunk like no tomorrow always with the motto "Alive today, Unknown tomorrow." so they lived each day like their last. At least Thatch did. Oh the drunken talks the man had with Marco. Hilarious. He would talk and sing and act like he was the king of the world and after declaring that he would trip and fall making a fool of himself.

He kept going on and on on the photos until his eyes dropped close and he fell into a deep sleep. He didn't see any dreams. He just laid there, unmoving wishing to die in his sleep. But he didn't.

He felt something rubbing his naked back gently. He groaned and frowned as pain exploded inside his head. He fought it and opened his eyes seeing Izo sitting on the bed and smiling at him still rubbing. "Hey." Marco closed his eyes again and let the touch relax him. "Mmm..." The okama put his other hand in use, giving him a massage. "How much did you drink last night?"

Marco didn't answer at first. He gripped on the sheets and shrugged a little. "A lot." Izo's fingers dipped into his spine unforgiving. He let out a yelp at the sudden pain but didn't complain further than that. "We are all worried you know. None of us slept last night. We are all either on guard or too sad."

The blond opened his eyes and looked at him. He looked like a mess. His hair was out of their place, his kimono was dirty and not tied perfectly, his make-up was smudged. So he sat up and tried to fix at least the raven hair. "It's ok. I need a bath anyway. I stink." But the only scent Marco could smell was that one of lilies.

Izo put his hand on the captain's shoulder and sighed, his eyes sad. "We all miss them. The three of them. Who would have thought that we won't taste Thatch's food again? That we won't see a smiling face anymore? That we will walk around knowing that we are safe from stupid traps and tricks? That... That we won't hear Oyaji's laugh again... or that we won't have a father anymore..." A single tear ruined the make up even more. Marco pulled the okama in a hug. "Oh God Izo. I can't yoi!" He broke down finally. He was the only one holding up and he had finally broken down. At last.

Sobs made his body spasm violently, his pounding head worsening the feeling.

Izo hugged back tightly and kissed his hair, grateful that the man could let his feelings out. Fighting by himself would be tiring and fatal. "Cry. Don't hold it in." Marco crumbled in pieces, clinging on the kimono for dear life. He fell apart his chest constricting painfully. "We lost three. But we still have each other. We are still us. The Whitebeard pirates." The raven sniffed. "We have your back ok? Don't fight this alone." The older man gave a faint nod and gripped on the kimono harder.

Just then he realized that losing a person, doesn't mean you are alone. He still had a crew. He still had Izo. And that was enough. Thoughts of dying disappeared from his mind. He couldn't. Not yet. He had a crew to rise to the top. Friends. Brothers and sisters. His father's legacy. "Izo." He rasped, his throat itchy from the alcohol. "Yes?" "How far are we from Oyaji and Ace yoi?" He asked. He needed to pay the last respect. To say thank you. "We didn't move at all from yesterday. We thought you would need some time alone with these two." "Thanks yoi."

He wiped his face and sniffed, his control back. Izo gave him his shirt and smiled. They got out of the room together, many eyes looking at their captain in worry. "I'm fine." He murmured. "Give me some time yoi." They all nodded and made way for him to walk to the land and up the two graves. No one followed him.

He stared at the two graves and sighed falling on his knees. He closed his eyes and prayed –maybe for the first time in his whole life. It calmed his soul. Being with these two. They were important people in his life and that will never change. He stood up and smiled.

His fingers traced the two names. "Portgas D Ace." He murmured. "Edward Newgate." He bowed his head in respect. "Who would have thought that I would pay my respects to you squirt yoi?" His eyes smiled in a sad way and he fixed Ace's hat on the stick. He put his hands on the two graves.

"Oyaji. Ace. I will make the Whitebeard pirates reach the heavens. I swear yoi. And when I meet Blackbeard, I will take him down. Oyaji! You may have left, but your actions and love for us is still lingering around us yoi. That's why, I'll make you the king!" He looked at Ace's grave. "I will make him the king yoi. It was your wish, wasn't it Ace?" He closed his eyes and took a step back, bowing his head once more. "Thank you for taking me in and making me the man I am today. You will always be my father yoi. Thank you Ace for letting me in. For trusting me. I'm honored for meeting you and being your son, brother, friend and crewmate yoi." Taking another step back, he gave one last look at the graves and turned his back at them walking to his ship.

Everyone was waiting for him, anxiety evident in the air. He flew on the deck and looked around him at his crewmates. He took a deep breath. "Men! No more tears yoi! From now on, we will try harder to make Oyaji come alive again with our actions!" The crew grinned and threw their fists in the air yelling. "We'll fulfill Ace's want! We will mate Whitebeard the king! Hoist the sails yoi!"

The crew scattered to their duties with their spirits lifted once more. They all were determined to bring a new taste in this era, the era Luffy had started by ringing the bell at Marineford sixteen times.

Marco smiled and looked up again. "Wait for it yoi! Our name will reach you. We will go higher than the heaven!"

The end


End file.
